I am writing to discuss the offensive treatment I have received and witnessed from our ART bus system. I can only use 300 words to get this to print, however I have much more to say then a mere 300 words. I hope that after reading this you will want to hear more.
I will start with an incident last week. My family with 10 month year old twins took the bus to the downtown post office. We left the post office on the hour exactly. We walked to the bus terminal and our bus had just closed its door. The bus literally moved 5 feet from the curb it was originally parked on. It was still in the terminal, still literally only feet away from the curb, the time was still only 1 min after the hour, and the bus driver refused to let us on. He gave no explanation, did not even open the door to speak with us, just looked at us and shook his head. He then sat for another 4 minutes until the light in front of the terminal changed to green allowing him to leave the station. My wife and I carrying our 10 month year old twins were not allowed to get onto the bus which was in the terminal.
I have witnessed a driver yell at a mother when she gave her crying baby food, because food is not allowed on the bus. I have witnessed a driver turn an entire bus around because a group of teenagers was talking too loud. I have been called an “idiot” by transit when I called to ask where a bus was.
I am tired of the militant attitude of ART staff. It seems like the bus system wants to scare off its own customers.
Dan Sobalsky
Asheville
The problem with public transit is that it’s public. You pay for it no matter what happens. You can’t withhold your patronage and give somebody else your business.